Fiscal Session
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Bills discussed (1)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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HR1001
· 1 mention in transcript
Matched: “Mr. Speaker, after the announcements and in accordance with House Resolution 1001, I move that the fiscal session of the 92nd General Assembl…”
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TO PROVIDE FOR AN EXTENSION AND SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT OF THE FISCAL SESSION OF THE … | Shepherd | READ AND ADOPTED. |
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- October 7, 2026
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
0:00
I invite the members, staff, press, and guests to stand and be led in prayer by Dr. Rex Horn, House Chaplain and President of Baptist Preparatory School in Little Rock,
Representative Rebecca Petty
Unverified
0:28
and to remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Representative Lane Jean.
Speaker 5
0:36
Friends, let's bow together in prayer. Our Father in Heaven, we thank you for the beauty of the springtime here in Arkansas. We thank you for dedicated public servants like these women and men gathered here today. We thank you for strong and consistent leadership like we see in our governor and our speaker and others who serve. We're thankful for the accomplishments of this session. We thank you for the diligence, the camaraderie, the cooperation that we have seen from the outside
and has been practiced from the inside. But most of all, I would pray that as the work is accomplished today, that you'd give a great sense to these public servants of satisfaction, but more than that of accomplishment because we do things best when we seek to follow your will and work for the good of the people. This is our prayer in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
Speaker 13
1:48
Mr. Clerk, please call the roll. Allen. Allen. Barker. Beck. Bentley. Barry. Boyd.
Speaker 14
2:24
Bragg. Bragg, Brough, Brown, Birch, Cap, Cavanaugh, Christensen,
Speaker 13
2:31
Cloud, Clowney, Coleman, Collins,
Cooper, Cooper, Cozart, Crawford, Dalby, Andy Davis, Marsh Davis,
Speaker 14
2:58
Marsh Davis, Deffenbaugh, De La Rosa, here. Dodson, here. Douglas, here. Eves, here. Ennett,
Speaker 13
3:18
here. Eubanks, here. Evans, here.
Debra Ferguson, Debra Ferguson, Ken Ferguson, Fielding, Charlene Fite, Lanny Fite, Flowers, Flowers, Fortner, Garner, Gassaway,
Speaker 14
3:49
Glover, Godfrey, Gonzales, Gray, Hawks, Hillman,
Speaker 13
4:02
Grant Hodges, Grant Hodges, Monty Hodges, Holcomb, Holcomb, Hallowell, House, Jean, Jet, Johnson, Kelly, Ladyman, Love, Lowry, Lundstrom, Lynch, Maddox, Maddox, McGee, Mayberry, Mayberry, McCullum,
McCullough, McGrew, McKenzie, McNair, Meeks, Miller, Miller, Murdoch, Murdoch, Nix, Payton, Penzo, Perry, Petty, Petty, Pilkington, Richardson, Richie,
Speaker 14
5:26
Richmond, Rushing, Rye, Scott, Slate, Brant Smith, Stu Smith, Servillo, Speaks, Speaks, Springer,
Speaker 13
5:53
Sullivan, Tosh, Tosh, Vaught, Vaught, Wardlaw, Warren, Watson,
Whitaker, Winn, Womack, Wooten, Wooten, Mr. Speaker.
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
6:42
there are 83 members present the chair sees a quorum are there any requests for leave
representative gray for what purpose you're recognized is leave granted for representative petty so noted you recognize is leave granted for representative vaught is leave granted for representative grant hodges Representative Dalby for what purpose? You're recognized. Is leave granted for
Representative Rebecca Petty
Unverified
7:47
Representative Speaks? Representative Frederick Love moves we dispense with the reading of the previous day's journal without objection so ordered. Are there reports from select committees? Are there reports from standing committees? Is there any unfinished business? Are there
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
8:28
any executive communications? Representative Stephen Meeks, you're recognized.
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
8:37
Mr. Speaker, after the announcements and in accordance with House Resolution 1001, I move that the fiscal session of the 92nd General Assembly be adjourned, sineed
Representative Rebecca Petty
Unverified
8:51
aye. That's a proper motion, it's not debatable. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? The motion
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
8:58
carries. Are there any announcements?
Representative Dalby, you're recognized for an
Representative Carol Dalby
Unverified
9:19
announcement. Members, Representative Hodges and I would like to encourage each of
you to videotape yourself reading a book. Robin Voss sent an email earlier this week, and this is for the initiative, leaders are readers. So take a few moments this weekend, get your video in, because next week is National Library Week.
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
9:38
Thank you. Any other announcements? The House will reconvene in caucus 15 minutes upon adjournment. The purpose of the caucus will be to
Representative Rebecca Petty
Unverified
9:51
elect the speaker-designate for the 93rd General Assembly. Seeing no further announcements, the physical session of the 92nd Arkansas General Assembly is adjourned. Signing die.
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
12:01
House of Representatives is convened. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
Speaker 13
12:15
Allen. Allen. Barker. Present by proxy.
Present by proxy, all right. Barker. Beck. Bentley.
Speaker 14
12:35
Berry. Boyd. Bragg. Present by proxy. Bro. Brown. Birch. Kapp, Kavanaugh, Christensen,
Speaker 13
12:58
Cloud, Clowney, Coleman, Collins, Cooper, Cozart, Crawford,
Speaker 14
13:09
Dalby, Andy Davis, Marsh Davis, present by proxy, Deffenbaugh, present by proxy, De La Rosa, Dodson, Douglas, Eves, Ennett, Eubanks, Evans, Deborah Ferguson present by proxy, Ken
Speaker 13
13:40
Ferguson, Fielding, Charlene Fite, Lanny Fite, Flowers, Flowers, Fortner,
Speaker 14
14:05
Garner, Gassaway, Glover, Godfrey, Gonzalez, Gray,
Speaker 13
14:12
Hawks, Hillman, Grant Hodges,
Grant Hodges, Monty
Speaker 13
14:35
Hollowell, House, Jean, Jett, Johnson, Kelly, Ladyman, Love, Lowry, Lundstrom,
Speaker 14
14:52
Lynch, Maddox present by proxy,
McGee, Mayberry, present by proxy, McCullum, McCullough,
Speaker 13
15:07
McGrew, McKenzie, McNair, Meeks, Miller, present by proxy, Murdoch, Nix, Payton, Penzo, Perry, Petty,
Speaker 14
15:28
present by proxy, Pilkington,
Richardson, Richie, Richie, Richmond, Rushing, Rye, Scott, Slape, Brant Smith, Stu Smith, Servillo, Speaks, present by proxy. Springer, Sullivan, Tosh, Vaught, present by proxy.
Wardlaw, Warren, Watson, Whitaker, Wing, Womack, Wooten, present by proxy. There are 97 members present. The chair sees
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
16:37
a quorum. Are there any requests for leave?
Representative Carlton Wing
Unverified
16:43
Representative Wayne, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. House Rule 10A establishes the procedure by which the House of Representatives every two years elects the speaker-designate, and that's why we are convened in caucus today. Now, on February 20th, the parliamentarian notified all eligible members of the House of a meeting that was to be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 5th, for any member interested
in pursuing the position of speaker-designate. Now, at that meeting, only one member came to that meeting, and that was our Speaker of the House, Matthew J. Shepherd. As a result, and at this moment, he is unopposed for the position of speaker-designate for the 93rd Arkansas General Assembly. In light of this development, Mr. Chairman, I move that the House of Representatives suspend the formal election process provided for House Rule 10a, that we as a body elect by voice vote the Hon. Matthew J. Shepherd as Speaker Designate
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
17:48
for the 93rd General Assembly. We'll take those motions separately. First, the motion to suspend the formal election processes in House Rule 10A is a proper motion. It is not debatable. All in favor of the motion to suspend the rules say aye. Opposed, no. The motion is adopted in the formal election processes and House Rule 10A are suspended. Representative Wing,
Representative Carlton Wing
Unverified
18:14
you're recognized. Mr. Chairman, I now move that Speaker Matthew J. Shepherd be elected speaker-designate
for the 93rd Arkansas General Assembly. That's a
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
18:23
proper motion. Without objection, the question before the House is the election of Matthew J. Shepherd as speaker-designate for the 93rd Arkansas General Assembly. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say no. The ayes have it. The motion is adopted. Speaker Shepherd is elected speaker-designate of the 93rd General Assembly. Let the record reflect that the motion received more than 51 votes. Mr. Speaker, you are recognized.
Speaker 10
19:08
Members, I truly am humbled and honored by the trust
Representative Rebecca Petty
Unverified
19:26
and confidence that you have once again shown in me in electing me as speaker designate for the 93rd General Assembly and I want to thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart.
I would like to also thank my family back home in El Dorado for their support and sacrifices that they've made over the past nine years as I've served in the House and over the past couple years as I've served as Speaker. And I recognize that all of us have friends and family whose support and sacrifice is made each of our service here in the House possible. And let me say it's been
the honor of a lifetime to serve as Speaker of the House for the 92nd General Assembly. In preparing my remarks for today, which Representative Dalby told me I had to keep it under 15 seconds. I told her I'm a lawyer and a politician, so that's not possible. But in preparing my remarks for today, I did what all lawyers do. I look back at what I've written in the past to kind of give me an example of what I should say for the future. But when I look back at what I said two years
ago when you first elected me Speaker-designate of the 92nd General Assembly, there were things that I mentioned when I spoke to the House at that time that I think are worth reflecting on today. At that time, I told you that like each of you, that I had goals that I hoped to achieve, that there were particular areas of emphasis that I would like to work towards, and I mentioned a few of those, but ultimately those were not the primary reasons that I ran for speaker. I said that there were certain qualities in particular that really were the
motivation to run for speaker, and one was that I wanted to serve the members of the House. I'd been the beneficiary of several speakers who have helped me out along the way, helped me to learn as a legislator and to be effective as a legislator. But beyond that, I told you that there were certain values that I hoped, if I were elected speaker, I'd hoped that these values would come to characterize the House. Let me share what those values were. One, I wanted us to be a body that displayed great character, first and foremost. Second,
Second, I wanted us to display civility and professionalism. I wanted us to maintain open lines of communication. I wanted us to do our business efficiently. I wanted us to work hard to find consensus where it could be found. And finally, overriding all that, I wanted us to strive to do what's in the best interest of the people of Arkansas. And I humbly submit to you today that by working together as a body that we've achieved each
of those goals. In that process and in coming to characterize those goals that I shared two years ago, in that process we've also come together to accomplish much. We completed a successful regular session that saw much legislation passed. And I dare say that most members had legislation that they were able to pass. They were able to be effective. And some of the big issues that we took up included transformation of state government
all the way over to highway funding. And that's just to name a few. We implemented a system, a rule change, that provided for the speaker to make all of the committee appointments. I'm sure none of you were aware of that, but we actually had that rule at one point. But we implemented that system, and then true to what I told you two years ago, I said at the end of the session, we could take up and consider proposals to change that rule, which we did. We expanded live streaming to include virtually every committee meeting at the Capitol.
We cut the House's appropriation by 15% for fiscal year 20, and last week we cut it by another 10% for fiscal year 21. We broadened the appointments and the assignments within the house. We reduced the overall per diem for the legislature. We implemented a rule change to provide for proxy voting. We conducted two additional sessions off-site in the midst of a pandemic. In an abbreviated period of time, we conducted the most transparent budgeting process in the recent history of the House. And then
finally I'd be remiss if I didn't add that last fall we joined together to uphold the honor and integrity of the House. The last six weeks have been rather tumultuous and particularly in advance of and during the special and fiscal sessions there's been much work to be done. But no matter the time of day, the number of conference calls or emails, I keep coming back to the fact that I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to serve alongside each of you as we serve our state during these trying times. But there's no question there's more to be done. Quite honestly, I feel
that the success that we've enjoyed and the qualities that we've exhibited have served to prepare us for what may be even a greater challenge for the 93rd General Assembly. I want us to continue to efficiently and professionally function as we have over the past two years, but we must have our eyes fixed on the looming challenges. First and foremost, as a state, we must turn the tide on the COVID-19 virus. But then beyond that, we must work
together to help our state and our fellow Arkansans to pick up the pieces that are left in the wake of this unprecedented global pandemic that has left our economy unstable but found our people unwavering that has disrupted our communities but laid bare our need to communicate. This will be our undertaking to reopen, revitalize, and reignite our state. And we will achieve that because we as Arkansans are resourceful and resilient. While the 92nd General Assembly
will go down as having confronted some of the most weighty issues in the House and in our state's history, and the 93rd will likewise pick up that baton in January, I look forward to that opportunity. And while I understand that there are always going to be times that we are not going to agree on everything, I remain committed to continuing to work with all of those who are willing. There's still eight months left in the 92nd General Assembly, so let's finish strong for the people of Arkansas. Thank you again for your trust and confidence.
Again, it's a great honor and privilege for me
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
26:27
to serve alongside you. May God bless this house, and may God bless the great
Speaker 42
26:37
state of Arkansas. Thank you. There being no further
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
26:47
business, this caucus of the Arkansas House of Representatives is adjourned.
Agenda
No agenda available.
Documents
No documents posted.
Speakers
Representative Matthew J. Shepherd
Unverified
Representative Rebecca Petty
Unverified
Speaker 5
Speaker 13
Speaker 14
Representative Stephen Meeks
Unverified
Representative Carol Dalby
Unverified
Speaker 28
Speaker 29
Representative Jon S. Eubanks
Unverified
Representative Carlton Wing
Unverified
Speaker 10
Speaker 42